As an unapologetic fan of the show - I saw it multiple times, thanks to TDF and those empty Wednesday matinees the first challenging fall after Covid - I am especially happy to see Blood continue in the Winningham role. She was the first Elizabeth I saw, and though I am a huge admirer of Mare's work and its considerable contribution to the show's texture and emotional weight, I'd say Blood is closer to the model for the character in the UK, Canada, and Australia. She was sensational by any yardstick. Her take on "Rolling Stone" was a roof-raising triumph, blistering and vocally thrilling.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling